Door opens for tradies to work on $800m Defence project

A CHANGE to Defence procurement processes could create opportunities for more tradies to work on bigger projects, such as the $800 million RAAF Base Tindal upgrades

A United States Air Force F-22 Raptor takes-off from RAAF Base Tindal

A CHANGE to Defence procurement processes will create opportunities for more tradies to work on bigger projects such as the $800 million RAAF Base Tindal upgrades, managing contractor Lendlease said.

The changes are also applicable to the $500 million upgrade of Larrakeyah.

Lendlease chief executive officer building Dale Connor said the changes meant those subcontractors who could not meet Defence procurement and administrative requirements would now be able to.

“Hats off to the Federal Government and Defence which has taken into consideration the approaches of the Territory Government and the Master Builders Association of the NT’s suggestions regarding work packages,” he said.

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“Because we do multiple buildings there is an opportunity to do a works package which might be building in itself.

“A building can go to local builders and then they can employ their own sets of subbies who might not be able to meet the Defence procurement criteria and administrative issues that come with the procurement process but they are more than capable trades people and it is good to have them on the job.”

Tindal Stage Six and KC30 reported to be $800 million is in the planning stage now with Lendlease.

Mr Connor said the next 12 months will be design work with construction slated for the second half of 2019.

“We are more than 60 per cent through the joint strike fighter project work at Tindal now and we are on time and on budget for that project,” he said.

“We are now starting to turn our attention to the next project

“At this stage we’d start construction on this phase towards the end of next year which is good for us given the current phase will finish about the same time.

“For us it is about not demobilising our workforce which has peaked at around 350. We’ve got about 30 houses rented down there with our people living there.

“We’ll keep the camp open and the construction force going hopefully for another three to five years.”